Chapter 242: The Consecrated Mouth

Yu Zhaoan's mouth was like it had been consecrated.

He had said that once he submitted his letter of repentance, the old Emperor would surely be overjoyed.

Sure enough, when the letter of repentance was placed before the old Emperor, looking at the sincere, unadorned, and simple words within, and those sentences of repentance, the old Emperor's long-clouded mood finally loosened. Sunlight shone through the cracks, and the old Emperor's mouth curled up slightly as he smiled.

Qiu Defu looked as if he had seen a miracle, his heart pounding. This was truly the sun rising from the west. Ever since the prison-break case in the Imperial Prison, the old Emperor hadn't smiled much, to the point where he had no mood to visit the harem. The servants in the Taiji Palace had already been replaced twice; if they kept replacing them, where would they find so many sharp people to serve?

He smiled!

It was good that he smiled!

Yu Zhaoan was a great hero!

Qiu Defu made up his mind that when the opportunity arose, he would definitely put in a good word for this fellow Yu Zhaoan.

After training in the Heavenly Prison, the reformed Yu Zhaoan would surely speak very pleasantly and movingly. Compared to those spray-can critics in the court, he was far better.

He also hoped that a capable civil official could stand out, regardless of dignity or face, to compete with Jiang Tu for the position of favorite minister. After searching for several years, he hadn't expected that the former critic Yu Zhaoan would have this quality.

The Heavenly Prison really did forge people.

"Your Majesty, this Yu Zhaoan, I remember he used to serve in the Censorate. Should the Censorate be reorganized?" Qiu Defu dared to say this.

The old Emperor closed the letter of repentance, half-closing his eyes in thought.

Qiu Defu waved his hand, and immediately a young eunuch silently replaced the tea with one at the perfect temperature, while the previous cup was removed.

The old Emperor reached out, picked up the teacup, and took a shallow sip; the temperature was just right, the taste he liked. After drinking the tea, his mood seemed even better, "Issue a decree to pardon Yu Zhaoan. Let him enter the palace to see me!"

"Yes!"

Qiu Defu felt a surge of joy, thinking that once he saw Yu Zhaoan, he would have to give him a good hint not to be a critic anymore. The imperial court didn't lack critics, but rather lacked officials who were sensible and could share the Emperor's burdens.

Why was Jiang Tu favored? Besides his honey-coated mouth, it was also because he could genuinely share the old Emperor's burdens. When the old Emperor lacked money, he would scrape it up; when the old Emperor wanted to kill, he would willingly be the knife, charging to the front, even if he had to bear the infamy of a traitor.

It was just that Jiang Tu's methods for both scraping money and killing were too clumsy, which was why he provoked such public outrage. Ultimately, it was because he had read too few books, had limited knowledge, and lacked a brilliant strategist to advise him.

A truly brilliant strategist would naturally not board Jiang Tu's sinking ship.

The decree soon arrived at the Heavenly Prison.

Yu Zhaoan respectfully accepted the decree, and after sending off the eunuch who delivered it, he beckoned to Chen Guanlou in the crowd.

Chen Guanlou dismissed the other prison guards, walked up, and bowed, "Congratulations, Lord Yu, for getting what you wanted and having a bright future."

Yu Zhaoan pursed his lips in a reserved smile, "I said long ago that when it comes to guessing the old Emperor's mind, I am second to none. A mere Jiang Tu is even less of a concern. It just depends on whether I am willing to do it. Now I've figured it out; some things must be done by me."

Chen Guanlou gave a thumbs up, "You're 'bull'!"

Seeing this, Yu Zhaoan smiled smugly, "What did I say before? As long as the letter of repentance was submitted, I could get out of prison. I'll ask you one last time: are you willing to work for me? I'll arrange a clerk's job for you, and the money won't be lacking."

Chen Guanlou chuckled, "Many thanks for your high regard, my lord. I'll stay in the Heavenly Prison and wait for your second visit."

Damn!

A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory.

Although Yu Zhaoan had been mentally prepared for a second visit, he had anticipated this point when he decided to submit the letter of repentance. However, he really didn't want to hear these words from Chen Guanlou's mouth, as if a second visit was his destined fate—it was too unlucky.

"You, you... you're good at everything, but it's a pity you have that mouth," Yu Zhaoan remarked.

Chen Guanlou laughed, not minding, and personally opened the cell door, invited Yu Zhaoan to the side room, arranged for hot water to be brought, and fetched clean clothes. At the same time, he sent someone to notify the Yu family.

After washing up and changing, Yu Zhaoan finally looked like a human being again, washing away the stench and mental pollution of the prison. He was full of spirit, as if he were about to go to the battlefield to fight.

Chen Guanlou couldn't help but remind him, "You'd better take it easy. Medical Official Mu said your leg needs careful maintenance; you can't stand for long, you need moderate activity every day, and you can't use Wu Gong for now. Medical Official Mu's medicine is excellent; it can even heal a broken leg, so you won't be a cripple. Hey, why did the Marquis's eldest son become a cripple? By rights, he should have received better treatment."

He couldn't figure it out.

The eldest son's leg was broken when he fell off a horse during a hunt years ago. After the injury healed, he was left with a disability.

Thinking about it, no matter how serious the eldest son's broken leg was, it was about the same level as Yu Zhaoan's initial injury. A dignified Marquis's leg was left disabled, yet a prisoner like Yu Zhaoan could be cured—although he still couldn't walk well, that was just a matter of time.

Yu Zhaoan said something quite profound, "Many times, the Heavenly Prison is the safest place. You can look at it from another angle: perhaps someone doesn't want him to recover completely; a crippled Marquis Pingjiang is more reassuring."

Chen Guanlou was shocked. He had wondered if the old Madame of the Marquis's mansion had schemed against the eldest son behind his back and secretly tampered with the medicine.

Listening to Yu Zhaoan, the eldest son's disability came from the will of someone in a higher position. Who else could it be? Naturally, that big boss in the palace.

"So wary?" he asked in a low voice.

Yu Zhaoan sneered, "There aren't many in this generation of nobility who know how to fight, and those who know how to fight and can win battles are even rarer. Your eldest son occupies the top spot. Back then, the heirs of the noble families of his age vaguely took him as their leader. If his circle had just another five or eight years to accumulate and develop, they could have exerted unimaginable influence in the imperial court. Do you think that person wouldn't be wary?"

"This... isn't that self-mutilation?" Chen Guanlou said.

Yu Zhaoan's eyes were full of disdain, as if mocking the other for being so naive, "It's just a broken leg, not a lost life. Fighting doesn't require him to charge to the front line himself; he only needs to sit in the central camp to command and coordinate. Don't say just one leg is crippled; even if both legs were crippled, it wouldn't affect his command of the entire army."

That makes so much sense!

Chen Guanlou was speechless for a moment.

"Is he really not afraid that the eldest son will harbor resentment?"

"Even if he harbors resentment, what can he do? Can he rebel?" Yu Zhaoan smiled enigmatically, "Look at me; I am the best example. In the end, don't I still have to obediently bow my head, curry favor with the old man, and beg for a future? What he wants is the submission of his officials. Especially the submission of unruly officials, which can make him even more overjoyed." ===== CHAPTER 243 =====